CA2035090C - Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor - Google Patents
Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2035090C CA2035090C CA002035090A CA2035090A CA2035090C CA 2035090 C CA2035090 C CA 2035090C CA 002035090 A CA002035090 A CA 002035090A CA 2035090 A CA2035090 A CA 2035090A CA 2035090 C CA2035090 C CA 2035090C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- ink
- cartridge
- adapter
- cassette
- recording apparatus
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
- B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
- B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
- B41J2/17543—Cartridge presence detection or type identification
- B41J2/17546—Cartridge presence detection or type identification electronically
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
- B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
- B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
- B41J2/17513—Inner structure
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
- B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
- B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
- B41J2/17526—Electrical contacts to the cartridge
Landscapes
- Ink Jet (AREA)
- Pens And Brushes (AREA)
Abstract
An ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to a recording head includes an ink container for containing the ink; and an adaptor having a receptor for detachably receiving the ink container and an information medium for storing information relating to the ink, the information being transmitted to the ink jet recording apparatus when the ink cartridge is mounted therein.
Description
INK JET APPARATUS AND INK JET' CARTRIDGE THEREFOR
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to an ink jet apparatus and an ink jet cartridge usable for an office recorder such as copying machine, facsimile machine, wordprocessor and various printers and a dyeing machine wherein a desired image is formed on a material by ejection of ink, more particularly to an ink jet apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion for detachably accepting an ink jet cartridge for supplying the ink to a recording head, and to an ink jet cartridge therefor.
The ink jet recording apparatus is advantageous in that the noise during the recording operation is so small as it can be neglected, and in that the recording can be effected on plain printer, and therefore, various type are put into practice, recently. Among various types of ink jet recording process, a so-called bubble-jet recording method is particularly advantageous because it uses thermal energy as the energy for ejecting the ink. More particularly, the ink supplied with the thermal energy is subjected to the state change with the result of abrupt volume change (film boiling), by which the ink is ejected through an ejection outlet (discharging opening) at an end of the recording head to produce a flying droplet of the ink. The droplet is deposited on the recording material disposed faced to the head, so that a desired image can be formed.
Figures 1A and 1B show an example of such a recording head. In these Figures, reference numeral 101 designates an ink passage communicating with an ink ejection outlet 102; 103, a heat acting portion at which the thermal energy is supplied to the ink in the ink passage 101; 104, an electrothermal transducer formed at the heat acting portion 103; 105, and electrode for supplying the electric energy to the electrothermal transducer 104; 106, a heat generating resistor; 107, a protection layer for protecting the heat generating resistor layer 106 and the electrode 105 from the ink or from the cavitation. The protection layer 107 is also effective to prevent the electric leakage, the thermal oxidation, the corrosion by the cavitation resulting from the bubbles.
In such a recording head, when the electrothermal transducer 104 is supplied with the electric energy, the ink at the heat acting portion 103 receives the thermal energy (ink droplet forming energy) is subjected to an abrupt volume increase (state change), more particularly, the ink at the heat acting portion 103 is instantaneously evaporated, thus producing a bubble. By the development of the bubble, the ink existing between the heat acting portion 103 _3_ 2035090 and the ink ejection outlet 102 is ejected as a droplet of the ink. During the repetitive production and dissipation of the bubble, the ink is subjected to the high temperature, and therefore, ink material which is thermally instable is easily chemically changed. If this occurs, an insoluble material is precipitated, which may lead the ink ejection failure of the recording head. In order to effect a recording operation in a long term at a high recording speed using such a recording head, it is very important to improve the stability of the ink, and the optimum driving conditions are selected to meet the property of the ink in the recording head.
Figure 2 shows an example of the change with time of the surface temperature T of the heat acting surface 108 and the volume V of the produced bubble when the electrothermal transducer 104 of the recording head having the structure described above is supplied with the electric signal having the pulse-wave form as indicated by a reference character P. Assuming that electric signal P is supplied to the electrothermal transducer 104, the electric signal P being in the form of a pulse rising at time t0 and time tf, then the surface temperature T of the heat acting surface 108 reaches its maximum temperature 'Tp at the time tf. If the maximum temperature Tp is higher than a boiling point Tb of the ink in contact with the heat acting surface 108, the bubble is formed at time tb0 when T =
Tb, at the heat acting portion 103 filled with the ink.
With the elapse of time, the volume of the bubble increases, and the volume reaches its maximum volume Vp at the time tp.
When the electric signal P is shut off at the time tf, the surface temperature T starts to decrease, and the volume V of the bubble also decreases. In order to stably eject the droplet of the ink in the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet recording apparatus has a programmed hardware or software to control the film boiling drive conditions such as the voltage, pulsewidth or frequency of the electric energy supplied to the electrothermal transducer and the control of a preliminary ejection for the practically stabilized recording operation, an accordance with the properties of the ink used in the ink jet recording apparatus. Therefore, if an ink material which is for another types of apparatus is used, the proper recording operation is not effected. In consideration of this, the configuration of th~~ ink cartridge is so selected that it can be used only with the proper recording apparatus.
In the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, however, the ink can not be freely selected, and therefore, it is difficult to use the ink not proper for the ink jet recording apparatus. Even if -5- " ..
better ink is developed in the feature, it is still not usable because the program in the apparatus is not always proper. In order to solve such problems, some proposals have been made. For example, there is a proposal that the user sets the hardware or the software in accordance with the :material of the ink.
This is good in that the control parameters of the ink jet recording apparatus can be finely selected in accordance with the material of the ink. However, there are a great number of parameters to be selected, and therefore, the selecting operation is cumbersome, in addition, if the setting is erroneous, the proper printing is not effected, or the recording head experiences the overload. There:Eore, the reliability is not sufficient.
In another proposal, the ink cartridge is provided with information medium (a resistor element, magnetic medium, bar-code, IC or ROM, for example) bearing information relating to 'the control parameters for the ink jet recording apparai~us, so that the ink jet recording apparatus can automatically selects the proper parameters in accordance with the information.
According to this proposal, the :information peculiar to the ink contained in the ink cari:ridge is assuredly transmitted to the main assembly of the recording apparatus, and the proper recording operation is guaranteed, and therefore, it is very good. However, it requires that a relatively expensive information medium such as a semiconductor memory means is provided for each of the cartridges, results in the increase of the cost of the ink cartridge. Furthermore, in order to permit the information to be read from the information medium into the ink jet recording head, a number of connections (for example, ROM) which are required to be correctly connected with the corresponding electrodes in the main assembly.
Therefore, the mechanical accuracy has to be enhance in the relative positional relations between the main assembly of the apparatus and the ink jet cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for the transmission of the information from the ink cartridge to the main assembly o:f the recording apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink jet cartridge wherein the control parameters of the ink jet recording apparatus can be correctly and easily changed in accordance with the material of the ink ~.5 contained.
It is a further obj ect of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink cartridge structure wherein the high quality recording operation is possible with an increased reliability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, said ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to a recording head, comprising an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion corresponding to said portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet apparatus, comprising an ink supply system for supplying ink from an ink cartridge containing said ink to be supplied to a recording head; wherein said ink cartridge comprises an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion corresponding to said portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
According to an aspect of the prE_sent invention, only an ink cassette is taken out of the ink cartridge after the ink is used up, and is exchanged with a fresh one, leaving an adapter having _8_ the information medium bearing the information representative of the property of the ink in the ink cassette. Therefore, the adapter can be continued to be used.
The ink cassette and the adapter are so related, that only the proper ink cassette can be set in the adapter. Therefore, the information relating to the ink is correctly and assuredly transmitted to the recording apparatus. Therefore, even in the ink cartridge in which the ink cassette is exchanged, the recording head can be property driven in accordance with the property of the ink in the exchanged ink cassette.
Thus, in accordance with this aspect of the present invention an ink cartridge detachabl.y mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the cartridge comprising a non-reusable first part including a container for containing ink; and a reusable second part separable from said first part, wherein said second part has a member engageable with said ink jet recording apparatus, and said engageable member includes identification means capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adapter for an ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the adapter comprising a receptor portion for receiving and supporting an ink container for containing ink; and an engaging portion for engagement with said in~c jet recording apparatus, said engaging portion including identification means including a resister capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
i c~2035~g0 -8a-These and other objecas, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
w_., _g_ ~ 20 350 g0 Figure 1 is a sectional view of a recording head of a bubble jet type.
Figure 2 is a graph of .changes with time of the surface temperature of the heat acting surface and a volume of a produced bubble when a pulse electric signal is supplied to an electrothermal transducer of the recording head.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of an ink cassette and adaptor structure according to an embodiment of the present inv~sntion.
Figure 5 illustrates the mounting of the ink jet cartridge having the ink cassette and the adaptor into the ink jet recording apparatus.
Figure 6 is a block diagram of an electric circuit in the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a flow chart of sequential operations after the main switch is actuated and until the recording operation is effecited.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
-10- ~ 2035090 Referring to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown an example of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable. It comprises a recording head 1 carried on a carriage 2. The carriage 2 is driven by an unshown carriage driving motor through a timing belt stretched in conjunction with an idler pulley not shown. The carriage 2 reciprocates along a guide shaft 3 by rotation of the motor in the opposite directions. To the recording head 1, the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 4 through an unshown ink tube, and during the movement of the carriage 2 from the left to the right, the ink is ejected to a recording material 5 in the form of a recording sheet, for example, which is fed to be faced to the ink jet ejection outlet (not shown). During the relative movement between the scanning recording head and the recording material, a desired image is formed.
The apparatus further comprises a fixed platen 6 in the form of a plate for supporting the recording sheet 5 in faced relation with the recording head 1 with a predetermined clearance t:herebetween, a feeding roller 7 for feeding the recording sheet 5, a pinch roller 8 in press-contact with tlhe feeding roller 7 to nip the recording sheet 5 thereb~atween, a pinch roller c -11- 2 ~ ~ 5 holder 9 for applying the urgings force to the pinch roller 7. The holder 7 is made of stainless steel plate or the like, and the resilient force deflects the pinch roller 7 toward the feeding roller 7. Upper and lower guides 10 and 11 are effective to retain the recording sheet 5 which is manually fed, for example and to feed it to between the feeding roller 7 and the pinch roller 8.
The recording sheet 5 supplied by the feeding roller 7 and the pinch roller 8 is nipped between a discharging roller 12 and a spur not shown press-contacted thereto after it is subjected to the recording operation by the recording head 1. In the left part of Figure 3, a hollow needle 20 with which the ink cartridge 4 is pierced when the ink cartridge 4 is inserted through the cartridge inlet 21 along the cartridge guide 22. Through the hollow needle 20 and an unshown tube, the ink is supplied to the recording head 1.
A recovery means 23 for effecting cleaning, capping and recovery operations when the recording head 1 is moved to an initial position (non-recording position) during interruption or rest period of the recording head 1 .
Referring to Figure 4, i:he description will be made as to the structure of the :ink cartridge 4. The ink cartridge 4 comprises an ink container for -12- ~ 2 0 3 5 0 9 0 containing the ink used for the recording and having an ink absorbing material for retaining the ejected ink, an ink cassette 25, and an adapt:or 26 to which the ink cassette 25 is detachably mounted. The ink cassette 25 has an ink bag 27 for containing the ink to be supplied to the recording head and an ink: absorbing material for retaining residual ink which hasc been ejected by idle ejection (preliminary ejection) due to the recovery operation for maintaining and recovering the correct ink ejection through the recording head. The outer casing of the ink cassette 25 is. made of molded plastic material into an outer size or an outer configuration adapted to the size and the configuration of the ink cassette receptor 26A of the adaptor 26. The outer casing of the ink cassette 25 ma.y be made of metal or hard paper, if it is properly retain the content.
In this embodiment, a recess 29 is formed at a predetermined position and a in an outer surface of the ink cassette 25. Correspondingly, the internal surface of the ink cassette receptor 26A of the adaptor 26 is formed into a projection fitting the configuration of the recess 29. Therefore, only when the size and the configuration of the recess 29 and the projection are met, the ink cassette 25 can be mounted to the adaptor 26. The adaptor 26 is made of plastic mold or metal with high precision. As shown in the Figure, the ink cassette 20 can be fitted in the direction of the arrow into the ink cassette receptor.
The flexible ink bag 27 accommodated in the ink cassette 25 is connected through a tube or the like with a capping member 31 made of elastic material such as silicone rubber which can be pierced with the hollow needle 20 for the supply of the ank upon the mounting of the ink cartridge 4 on the recording apparatus. An information medium 32 is supported on that side of the adaptor 26 which is for the connection with the apparatus. The recording medium is capable of electrically or electronically storing the information.
It may be in the form of a ROM, <~n electrically erasable ROM, a resistor, a capacitor, a battery, a battery backed-up RAM, logic circuit or the like.
The information medium may store physical memory, for example, by providing a particular configuration to the adapt 26, by different optical reflecting or transparent properi:ies, by magnetic recording. In these cases, the ank jet recording apparatus is provided with an information reading means corresponding thereto.
The information medium 32 bears information necessary for the control for the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus in a<:cordance with the material of the ink accommodated in the ink cassette 25. Designated by a reference 3:?A is a contact of the information medium 32 to establish the electric 2035090 _ connection between the information medium 32 and the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus. The contact 32A has contact elements disposed at a high density, and therefore, it can be accommodated in a small area. A rail 33 is formed at each sides of the adaptor 26. When the ink cartridge 4 is inserted through the insertion inlet 21 along the cartridge guide 22, the rails 33 are engaged with unshown guiding grooves, by which the ink cartridge 4 is correctly positioned, and in addition, the correct relative position between the information medium and the leading means is assured.
In addition, in this embodiment, the capping member 31 of the ink cassette 25 which is connected with the supplying hollow needle 20 is in the form of a projection, and when the ink cassette 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26, the wall surface 25A of the portion constitutes a side wall of the adaptor.
Adjacent the capping member 31, there is an opening 44 to accept a residual ank tube 42 of the apparatus for the ink absorbing nnaterial 28 for absorbing the residual ink. The opening 44 is overlapped with a residual ink re~cepting opening 43 of the adaptor 26 when the ink casseate 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26.
The opening 44 may be formed so as to be larger than the opening 43, as shown in Figure 4. It may have the same size, and configuration as the opening 43, if it can properly receive the residual ink.
A fixed or replaceable absorbing material may be provided at the regions adjacent the front surface 25b of the ink cassette 25 and the inside surface 26b of the adaptor 26 for receiving the residual ink, in order to prevent the leakage of the residual ink.
In addition, the opening 44 may be provided with a film or a sheet-like covering member which may be broken by a tube 42 when the ink cartridge is mounted to the assembly. By doing so, the residual ink may be discharged. The covering member may be provided with a slit at a position where the tube is inserted.
The provision of the covering member is effective to prevent the scattering of the residual ink when the residual ink flows and the falling of the residual ink from the residual ink absorbing material upon the exchange of the ink cassette after the use-up thereof.
In the ink cartridge 4 described in the foregoing, the fitting between the recess 29 of the ink cassette and the projection 30 0~° the adaptor 26 is predetermined in accordance with the material of the ink contained in the ink cassettE: 25. The information medium 32 of the adaptor 26 beam information for the controlling operation of the main assembly of the recording apparatus suitable for the material of the ink contained in the ink cassette: 25. Therefore, the -16- 203~~090 ink cassette 25 of one kind is usable only with the adaptor 26 having the information medium 32 corresponding to the control information suitable for the material of the ink contained in the cassette.
By using the two part structure including the ink cassette containing the ink and the adaptor for accommodating the cassette, the operator is required only to set a fresh ink cassette into the adaptor after the ink is used up. The adaptor is reusable so that the running cost can be reduced. Since the information medium for transmitting the information is not exchanged, and therefore, the accuracy in the connection with the main assembly can be sufficiently maintained.
Figure 5 shows the state wherein the ink cartridge 4 including the ink cassette 25 and the adaptor 26 is mounted in the ink cartridge receptor of the ink jet recording apparatus of Figure 4. Here, the precise engagement is establishe<i between the rails 33 of the adaptor 26 and the guides 41 in the cartridge inserting inlet 21 of the ink j ei~ recording apparatus, and when the ink cartridge 4 is :inserted in the direction of the arrow, the capping member 31 is pierced with the hollow ink needle 20 disposed at the receptor 40 of the ink jet recording apparatus, so that the ink in the ink bag 27 can be supplied to the ink jet recording apparatus.
The ink forcedly ejected from the ink jet recording head 1 by the ink reafilling operation, flows through a tube 42 of the main assembly of the recording apparatus and is absorbed by the residual ink absorbing material 28 through the opening, 43 and 44. When the ink cartridge 4 is completely mounted in the cartridge receptor 40, the electric connection is established between the contacts 32A and the: corresponding connecting pins 45 electrically connected with the controller of the ink jet recording apparatus, which will be described hereinafter, so that the controlling information stored in the information medium 32 can be accessed by the CPU
of the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus.
The ink cassette 25 is provided with serrated portions 25C and 25D for facilitating mounting and dismounting thereof relative to the adaptor 26 in addition to the recess 29 for the engagement with the adaptor 26. The serrated portions 25C and 25D are provided at the respective side, of the ink cassette 25.
The serrated portions 25C and 25D, in this embodiment, also function to confine the engaging relation with the adaptor 26. They are engaged with engaging portions 26D
which is in the form of a cut-away portion at a side of the adaptor 26.
The serrated portion :?5D may have recesses and projections which are the same as those of the rails 33 to constitute a part of the rails 33 used during the mounting or dismounting.
The serrated portion 25D may project from the side surface of the adaptor 26 when the ink cassette 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26.. If this is done the serrated portion 25D is abutted to a guide 41 of the main assembly of the recording apparatus, so that it functions as an insertion position limiting member of the entire ink cartridge 4.
When this structure is used, it may be made peculiar to the ink cassette the positional relation between the hollow needle 20 and the ink bag can be assured. Therefore, in the case of color recording, the insertion length of the hollow needle 20 into the ink bag and the length relation between the guide 41 and the serrated portion 25D, can be made peculiar to the individual color ink, by which the erroneous insertion can be prevented, or the hollow needle is prevented, upon erroneous insertion, from reaching the ink bag.
Figure 6 shows the control system of the ink jet recording apparatus in connection with the ink cartridge 4. A central processing unit (CPU) 50, and memory in the form of ROM or RA1M 51 are provided. When the main switch of the recording apparatus is actuated with the connection therebetween established, the data in the information medium 32 are read through an interface 52 into the memory 51 in accordance with the ~035~9~
steps which will be described hereinafter. The recording apparatus comprises a controller 53, input and output controller 54, a head driver 55, a peripheral programmable interface (PPIj for a host computer, a data bus 57 and an a~ddrass bus 58.
Referring to Figure 7, the description will be made as to the control steps unto l the start of the recording operation when the ink cartridge 4 is mounted.
Upon the actuation of the main switch, the discrimination is made as to whether or not the ink cartridge is mounted, at step S1. If not, a warning is produced at step S2. If it is mounted, the operation proceeds to step S3 wherein the data is read from the ROM of the memory 51. The discrimination is made as to whether or not there is data, at step S4. If not, step S5 is executed by which a warning lamp is actuated. If so, the operation proceeds to step S6 wherein the driving parameters stored in the information medium 32 are transferred to the RAM of the memory 51. Then, on the basis of the data transferred, the recording head is preliminary heated in accordance with the conditions set in accordance with the driving parameters, at step S7. The discrimination is made at step S8 whether or not the recording operation is possible. If so, the sequential operation for the recording operation is effected at step S9.
2035pgp Figure 8 shows a structure of an ink cartridge 34 according to another embodiment of the present invention. It comprises an ink cassette 35, an adaptor 36 and an ink cassette 35 which has only an ink absorbing material 28 and an inl~; bag 27. They are accommodated in the order named.. When the ink absorbing material 28 and the ink cassette 35 are accommodated in the receptor 36A, they can be accepted only when the recess 29 of the i.nk cassette 35 is matched with the engaging projecaion 36 of the receptor 36A. When a top cover 37 of the: adaptor is closed, an ink cartridge 34 in the form of a unit is established.
The top cover 37 is cut into a configuration matching the configuration of the capping member 31 of the bag 27. If the configurations do not match, the top cover 37 can not be closed. If this is done, the erroneous insertion of the ink cassette 35 can be further prevented.
In this embodiment, the information medium 32 of the adaptor 36 bears controlling information corresponding to the material of the ink in the ink cassette 35, similarly to the foregoing embodiment.
According to this embodiment, the ink cassette 35 and the residual ink absorbing material 28 can be separately exchanged, and therefore, either of them can be exchanged when it becomes out of use. In any embodiments, the information medium 32 is provided.
The adaptor which is relatively more expensive than the ink cassette can be continued tc> be used even if the ink cassette is exchanged for replenishing the ink.
Therefore, the running cost of t:he recording apparatus can be reduced.
In addition, the information medium is not exchanged even if the ink is used up, and therefore the connection with the main assembly is maintained correct.
The residual ink absorbing material 28 is sealed to prevent the leakage of the ink to the outside of the adaptor 36 constituting the ink cartridge 34.
The outer periphery of the ink absorbing material 28 may be covered with a film or sheet material to provide the sealing. If this is done, the operator's hand will not be contaminated upon exchange of the absorbing material 28. Alternatively or in addition, the adaptor may be provided with a partition member for isolating the ink cassette 35 and the residual ink absorbing material 28. By doing so, the sealing can be assured, and the ink cassette 35 may be prevented from being contaminated with the residual ink.
The present invention is particularly suitably usable in a bubble jet recording head and recording apparatus developed by Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan. This is because, the high density of the picture element, and the high resolution of the recording are possible.
The typical structure aind the operational principle of preferably the one disclosed in U.S.
Patent Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. The principle is applicable to a so-called on-demand type recording system and a continuous type recording system particularly however, it is suitable for the on-demand type because the principle is such that at least one driving signal is applied to an electrothermal transducer disposed on a liquid (ink) retaining sheet or liquid passage, the driving signal being enough to provide such a quick temperature rise beyond a departure from nucleation boiling point, by which the thermal energy is provide by the electrothermal transducer to produce film boiling on the heating portion of the recording head, whereby a bubble can be formed in the liquid (ink) corresponding to each of the driving signals. By the development and collapse of the the bubble, the liquid (ink) is ejected through an ejection outlet to produce at least one droplet.
The driving signal is preferably in the form of a pulse, because the development and collapse of the bubble can be effected instantaneously, and therefore, the liquid (ink) is ejected with quick response. The driving signal in the form of the' pulse is preferably such as disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262. In addition, the temperature increasing rate of the heating surface is preferably such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,3.13,124.
The structure of the recording head may be as shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600 wherein the heating portion is disposed at a bent portion in addition to the structure of the combination of the ejection outlet, liquid passage and the electrothermal transducer as disclosed in the above-mentioned patents. In addition, the present invention is applicable to the structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No.
123670/1984 wherein a common slit is used as the ejection outlet for plural elect:rothermal transducers, and to the structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 138461/1984 wherein an opening for absorbing pressure wave of the thermal energy is formed corresponding to the eject=ing portion. This is because, the present invention is effective to perform the recording operation with certainty and at high efficiency irrespective of the type of the recording head.
The present invention is effectively applicable to a so-called full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording width. Such a recording head may comprise a single recording head and a plural recording head combined to cover the entire width.
In addition, the present invention is applicable to a serial type recording head wherein the recording head is fixed on the main assembly, to a replaceable chip type recording head which is connected electrically with the main apparatus and can be supplied with the ink by being mounted in the main assembly, or to a cartridge type: recording head having an integral ink container.
The provision of the recovery means and the auxiliary means for the preliminary operation are preferable, because they can further stabilize the effect of the present invention. As for such means, there are capping means for the recording head, cleaning means therefor, pressing or sucking means, preliminary heating means by the ejection electrothermal transducer or by .a combination of the ejection electrothermal transducer and additional heating element and means for preliminary ejection not for the recording operation, which can stabilize the recording operation.
As regards the kinds of the recording head mountable, it may be a single corresponding to a single color ink, or may be plural corresponding to the plurality of ink materials having different recording color or density. The present invention is effectively applicable to an apparatus having at least one of a monochromatic mode mainly with black and a multi-color with different color ink materials and a full-color mode by the mixture of the colors which may be an integrally formed recording unit or a combination of plural recording :heads.
Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, the ink has been liquid. It may be, however, an ink material solidified at the room temperature or below and liquefied at the room temperature. Since in the ink jet recording system, the inlc is controlled within the temperature not less than 30 °C and not more than 70 °C to stabilize the viscosity of the ink to provide the stabilized ejection, in usua:L recording apparatus of this type, the ink is such that it is liquid within the temperature range when the recording signal is applied. In addition, the temperature rise due to the thermal energy is positively prevented by consuming it for the state change of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink material is solidified when it is left is used to prevent the evaporation of the ink. In either of the cases, the application of the recording signal producing thermal energy, the ink may be liquefied, and the liquefied ink may be ejected. The ink may start to bE~ solidified at the time when it reaches the recording material. The present invention is applicable t:o such an ink material as is liquefied by the application of the thermal energy. Such an ink mata_rial may be retained as a liquid or solid material on through holes or recesses formed in a porous sheet as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 56847/1979 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.
71260/1985. The sheet is faced i.o the electrothermal transducers. The most effective one for the ink materials described above is the film boiling system.
The ink jet recording apparatus may be used as an output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as computer or then like, a copying apparatus combined with an image reader or the like, or a facsimile machine having information sending and receiving functions.
As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, the ink jea recording apparatus can be provided which can effect assuredly its recording operation in accordance: with the nature of the ink used. After the ink is used up, the information transmitting medium c:an be reused since only the ink cassette is exchanged. Therefore, the running cost is reduced, and the information transmitting medium is maintained at a correct position.
If the ink cartridge has two portions including the ink cassette containing the ink used for the recording and an adaptor provided with medium bearing the information relatingr to the ink, the adaptor is capable of detachably accepting the ink cassette. When the ink is used up, only the ink cassette is attended to, so that the running cost is reduced, and the contact between. the information medium and the main assembly of the recording apparatus can be assuredly maintained with high precision.
While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to an ink jet apparatus and an ink jet cartridge usable for an office recorder such as copying machine, facsimile machine, wordprocessor and various printers and a dyeing machine wherein a desired image is formed on a material by ejection of ink, more particularly to an ink jet apparatus having a cartridge mounting portion for detachably accepting an ink jet cartridge for supplying the ink to a recording head, and to an ink jet cartridge therefor.
The ink jet recording apparatus is advantageous in that the noise during the recording operation is so small as it can be neglected, and in that the recording can be effected on plain printer, and therefore, various type are put into practice, recently. Among various types of ink jet recording process, a so-called bubble-jet recording method is particularly advantageous because it uses thermal energy as the energy for ejecting the ink. More particularly, the ink supplied with the thermal energy is subjected to the state change with the result of abrupt volume change (film boiling), by which the ink is ejected through an ejection outlet (discharging opening) at an end of the recording head to produce a flying droplet of the ink. The droplet is deposited on the recording material disposed faced to the head, so that a desired image can be formed.
Figures 1A and 1B show an example of such a recording head. In these Figures, reference numeral 101 designates an ink passage communicating with an ink ejection outlet 102; 103, a heat acting portion at which the thermal energy is supplied to the ink in the ink passage 101; 104, an electrothermal transducer formed at the heat acting portion 103; 105, and electrode for supplying the electric energy to the electrothermal transducer 104; 106, a heat generating resistor; 107, a protection layer for protecting the heat generating resistor layer 106 and the electrode 105 from the ink or from the cavitation. The protection layer 107 is also effective to prevent the electric leakage, the thermal oxidation, the corrosion by the cavitation resulting from the bubbles.
In such a recording head, when the electrothermal transducer 104 is supplied with the electric energy, the ink at the heat acting portion 103 receives the thermal energy (ink droplet forming energy) is subjected to an abrupt volume increase (state change), more particularly, the ink at the heat acting portion 103 is instantaneously evaporated, thus producing a bubble. By the development of the bubble, the ink existing between the heat acting portion 103 _3_ 2035090 and the ink ejection outlet 102 is ejected as a droplet of the ink. During the repetitive production and dissipation of the bubble, the ink is subjected to the high temperature, and therefore, ink material which is thermally instable is easily chemically changed. If this occurs, an insoluble material is precipitated, which may lead the ink ejection failure of the recording head. In order to effect a recording operation in a long term at a high recording speed using such a recording head, it is very important to improve the stability of the ink, and the optimum driving conditions are selected to meet the property of the ink in the recording head.
Figure 2 shows an example of the change with time of the surface temperature T of the heat acting surface 108 and the volume V of the produced bubble when the electrothermal transducer 104 of the recording head having the structure described above is supplied with the electric signal having the pulse-wave form as indicated by a reference character P. Assuming that electric signal P is supplied to the electrothermal transducer 104, the electric signal P being in the form of a pulse rising at time t0 and time tf, then the surface temperature T of the heat acting surface 108 reaches its maximum temperature 'Tp at the time tf. If the maximum temperature Tp is higher than a boiling point Tb of the ink in contact with the heat acting surface 108, the bubble is formed at time tb0 when T =
Tb, at the heat acting portion 103 filled with the ink.
With the elapse of time, the volume of the bubble increases, and the volume reaches its maximum volume Vp at the time tp.
When the electric signal P is shut off at the time tf, the surface temperature T starts to decrease, and the volume V of the bubble also decreases. In order to stably eject the droplet of the ink in the ink jet recording apparatus, the ink jet recording apparatus has a programmed hardware or software to control the film boiling drive conditions such as the voltage, pulsewidth or frequency of the electric energy supplied to the electrothermal transducer and the control of a preliminary ejection for the practically stabilized recording operation, an accordance with the properties of the ink used in the ink jet recording apparatus. Therefore, if an ink material which is for another types of apparatus is used, the proper recording operation is not effected. In consideration of this, the configuration of th~~ ink cartridge is so selected that it can be used only with the proper recording apparatus.
In the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, however, the ink can not be freely selected, and therefore, it is difficult to use the ink not proper for the ink jet recording apparatus. Even if -5- " ..
better ink is developed in the feature, it is still not usable because the program in the apparatus is not always proper. In order to solve such problems, some proposals have been made. For example, there is a proposal that the user sets the hardware or the software in accordance with the :material of the ink.
This is good in that the control parameters of the ink jet recording apparatus can be finely selected in accordance with the material of the ink. However, there are a great number of parameters to be selected, and therefore, the selecting operation is cumbersome, in addition, if the setting is erroneous, the proper printing is not effected, or the recording head experiences the overload. There:Eore, the reliability is not sufficient.
In another proposal, the ink cartridge is provided with information medium (a resistor element, magnetic medium, bar-code, IC or ROM, for example) bearing information relating to 'the control parameters for the ink jet recording apparai~us, so that the ink jet recording apparatus can automatically selects the proper parameters in accordance with the information.
According to this proposal, the :information peculiar to the ink contained in the ink cari:ridge is assuredly transmitted to the main assembly of the recording apparatus, and the proper recording operation is guaranteed, and therefore, it is very good. However, it requires that a relatively expensive information medium such as a semiconductor memory means is provided for each of the cartridges, results in the increase of the cost of the ink cartridge. Furthermore, in order to permit the information to be read from the information medium into the ink jet recording head, a number of connections (for example, ROM) which are required to be correctly connected with the corresponding electrodes in the main assembly.
Therefore, the mechanical accuracy has to be enhance in the relative positional relations between the main assembly of the apparatus and the ink jet cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved structure for the transmission of the information from the ink cartridge to the main assembly o:f the recording apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink jet cartridge wherein the control parameters of the ink jet recording apparatus can be correctly and easily changed in accordance with the material of the ink ~.5 contained.
It is a further obj ect of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink cartridge structure wherein the high quality recording operation is possible with an increased reliability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, said ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to a recording head, comprising an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion corresponding to said portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet apparatus, comprising an ink supply system for supplying ink from an ink cartridge containing said ink to be supplied to a recording head; wherein said ink cartridge comprises an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion corresponding to said portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
According to an aspect of the prE_sent invention, only an ink cassette is taken out of the ink cartridge after the ink is used up, and is exchanged with a fresh one, leaving an adapter having _8_ the information medium bearing the information representative of the property of the ink in the ink cassette. Therefore, the adapter can be continued to be used.
The ink cassette and the adapter are so related, that only the proper ink cassette can be set in the adapter. Therefore, the information relating to the ink is correctly and assuredly transmitted to the recording apparatus. Therefore, even in the ink cartridge in which the ink cassette is exchanged, the recording head can be property driven in accordance with the property of the ink in the exchanged ink cassette.
Thus, in accordance with this aspect of the present invention an ink cartridge detachabl.y mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the cartridge comprising a non-reusable first part including a container for containing ink; and a reusable second part separable from said first part, wherein said second part has a member engageable with said ink jet recording apparatus, and said engageable member includes identification means capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adapter for an ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the adapter comprising a receptor portion for receiving and supporting an ink container for containing ink; and an engaging portion for engagement with said in~c jet recording apparatus, said engaging portion including identification means including a resister capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
i c~2035~g0 -8a-These and other objecas, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
w_., _g_ ~ 20 350 g0 Figure 1 is a sectional view of a recording head of a bubble jet type.
Figure 2 is a graph of .changes with time of the surface temperature of the heat acting surface and a volume of a produced bubble when a pulse electric signal is supplied to an electrothermal transducer of the recording head.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an example of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of an ink cassette and adaptor structure according to an embodiment of the present inv~sntion.
Figure 5 illustrates the mounting of the ink jet cartridge having the ink cassette and the adaptor into the ink jet recording apparatus.
Figure 6 is a block diagram of an electric circuit in the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a flow chart of sequential operations after the main switch is actuated and until the recording operation is effecited.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of an ink cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
-10- ~ 2035090 Referring to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown an example of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention is applicable. It comprises a recording head 1 carried on a carriage 2. The carriage 2 is driven by an unshown carriage driving motor through a timing belt stretched in conjunction with an idler pulley not shown. The carriage 2 reciprocates along a guide shaft 3 by rotation of the motor in the opposite directions. To the recording head 1, the ink is supplied from the ink cartridge 4 through an unshown ink tube, and during the movement of the carriage 2 from the left to the right, the ink is ejected to a recording material 5 in the form of a recording sheet, for example, which is fed to be faced to the ink jet ejection outlet (not shown). During the relative movement between the scanning recording head and the recording material, a desired image is formed.
The apparatus further comprises a fixed platen 6 in the form of a plate for supporting the recording sheet 5 in faced relation with the recording head 1 with a predetermined clearance t:herebetween, a feeding roller 7 for feeding the recording sheet 5, a pinch roller 8 in press-contact with tlhe feeding roller 7 to nip the recording sheet 5 thereb~atween, a pinch roller c -11- 2 ~ ~ 5 holder 9 for applying the urgings force to the pinch roller 7. The holder 7 is made of stainless steel plate or the like, and the resilient force deflects the pinch roller 7 toward the feeding roller 7. Upper and lower guides 10 and 11 are effective to retain the recording sheet 5 which is manually fed, for example and to feed it to between the feeding roller 7 and the pinch roller 8.
The recording sheet 5 supplied by the feeding roller 7 and the pinch roller 8 is nipped between a discharging roller 12 and a spur not shown press-contacted thereto after it is subjected to the recording operation by the recording head 1. In the left part of Figure 3, a hollow needle 20 with which the ink cartridge 4 is pierced when the ink cartridge 4 is inserted through the cartridge inlet 21 along the cartridge guide 22. Through the hollow needle 20 and an unshown tube, the ink is supplied to the recording head 1.
A recovery means 23 for effecting cleaning, capping and recovery operations when the recording head 1 is moved to an initial position (non-recording position) during interruption or rest period of the recording head 1 .
Referring to Figure 4, i:he description will be made as to the structure of the :ink cartridge 4. The ink cartridge 4 comprises an ink container for -12- ~ 2 0 3 5 0 9 0 containing the ink used for the recording and having an ink absorbing material for retaining the ejected ink, an ink cassette 25, and an adapt:or 26 to which the ink cassette 25 is detachably mounted. The ink cassette 25 has an ink bag 27 for containing the ink to be supplied to the recording head and an ink: absorbing material for retaining residual ink which hasc been ejected by idle ejection (preliminary ejection) due to the recovery operation for maintaining and recovering the correct ink ejection through the recording head. The outer casing of the ink cassette 25 is. made of molded plastic material into an outer size or an outer configuration adapted to the size and the configuration of the ink cassette receptor 26A of the adaptor 26. The outer casing of the ink cassette 25 ma.y be made of metal or hard paper, if it is properly retain the content.
In this embodiment, a recess 29 is formed at a predetermined position and a in an outer surface of the ink cassette 25. Correspondingly, the internal surface of the ink cassette receptor 26A of the adaptor 26 is formed into a projection fitting the configuration of the recess 29. Therefore, only when the size and the configuration of the recess 29 and the projection are met, the ink cassette 25 can be mounted to the adaptor 26. The adaptor 26 is made of plastic mold or metal with high precision. As shown in the Figure, the ink cassette 20 can be fitted in the direction of the arrow into the ink cassette receptor.
The flexible ink bag 27 accommodated in the ink cassette 25 is connected through a tube or the like with a capping member 31 made of elastic material such as silicone rubber which can be pierced with the hollow needle 20 for the supply of the ank upon the mounting of the ink cartridge 4 on the recording apparatus. An information medium 32 is supported on that side of the adaptor 26 which is for the connection with the apparatus. The recording medium is capable of electrically or electronically storing the information.
It may be in the form of a ROM, <~n electrically erasable ROM, a resistor, a capacitor, a battery, a battery backed-up RAM, logic circuit or the like.
The information medium may store physical memory, for example, by providing a particular configuration to the adapt 26, by different optical reflecting or transparent properi:ies, by magnetic recording. In these cases, the ank jet recording apparatus is provided with an information reading means corresponding thereto.
The information medium 32 bears information necessary for the control for the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus in a<:cordance with the material of the ink accommodated in the ink cassette 25. Designated by a reference 3:?A is a contact of the information medium 32 to establish the electric 2035090 _ connection between the information medium 32 and the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus. The contact 32A has contact elements disposed at a high density, and therefore, it can be accommodated in a small area. A rail 33 is formed at each sides of the adaptor 26. When the ink cartridge 4 is inserted through the insertion inlet 21 along the cartridge guide 22, the rails 33 are engaged with unshown guiding grooves, by which the ink cartridge 4 is correctly positioned, and in addition, the correct relative position between the information medium and the leading means is assured.
In addition, in this embodiment, the capping member 31 of the ink cassette 25 which is connected with the supplying hollow needle 20 is in the form of a projection, and when the ink cassette 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26, the wall surface 25A of the portion constitutes a side wall of the adaptor.
Adjacent the capping member 31, there is an opening 44 to accept a residual ank tube 42 of the apparatus for the ink absorbing nnaterial 28 for absorbing the residual ink. The opening 44 is overlapped with a residual ink re~cepting opening 43 of the adaptor 26 when the ink casseate 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26.
The opening 44 may be formed so as to be larger than the opening 43, as shown in Figure 4. It may have the same size, and configuration as the opening 43, if it can properly receive the residual ink.
A fixed or replaceable absorbing material may be provided at the regions adjacent the front surface 25b of the ink cassette 25 and the inside surface 26b of the adaptor 26 for receiving the residual ink, in order to prevent the leakage of the residual ink.
In addition, the opening 44 may be provided with a film or a sheet-like covering member which may be broken by a tube 42 when the ink cartridge is mounted to the assembly. By doing so, the residual ink may be discharged. The covering member may be provided with a slit at a position where the tube is inserted.
The provision of the covering member is effective to prevent the scattering of the residual ink when the residual ink flows and the falling of the residual ink from the residual ink absorbing material upon the exchange of the ink cassette after the use-up thereof.
In the ink cartridge 4 described in the foregoing, the fitting between the recess 29 of the ink cassette and the projection 30 0~° the adaptor 26 is predetermined in accordance with the material of the ink contained in the ink cassettE: 25. The information medium 32 of the adaptor 26 beam information for the controlling operation of the main assembly of the recording apparatus suitable for the material of the ink contained in the ink cassette: 25. Therefore, the -16- 203~~090 ink cassette 25 of one kind is usable only with the adaptor 26 having the information medium 32 corresponding to the control information suitable for the material of the ink contained in the cassette.
By using the two part structure including the ink cassette containing the ink and the adaptor for accommodating the cassette, the operator is required only to set a fresh ink cassette into the adaptor after the ink is used up. The adaptor is reusable so that the running cost can be reduced. Since the information medium for transmitting the information is not exchanged, and therefore, the accuracy in the connection with the main assembly can be sufficiently maintained.
Figure 5 shows the state wherein the ink cartridge 4 including the ink cassette 25 and the adaptor 26 is mounted in the ink cartridge receptor of the ink jet recording apparatus of Figure 4. Here, the precise engagement is establishe<i between the rails 33 of the adaptor 26 and the guides 41 in the cartridge inserting inlet 21 of the ink j ei~ recording apparatus, and when the ink cartridge 4 is :inserted in the direction of the arrow, the capping member 31 is pierced with the hollow ink needle 20 disposed at the receptor 40 of the ink jet recording apparatus, so that the ink in the ink bag 27 can be supplied to the ink jet recording apparatus.
The ink forcedly ejected from the ink jet recording head 1 by the ink reafilling operation, flows through a tube 42 of the main assembly of the recording apparatus and is absorbed by the residual ink absorbing material 28 through the opening, 43 and 44. When the ink cartridge 4 is completely mounted in the cartridge receptor 40, the electric connection is established between the contacts 32A and the: corresponding connecting pins 45 electrically connected with the controller of the ink jet recording apparatus, which will be described hereinafter, so that the controlling information stored in the information medium 32 can be accessed by the CPU
of the main assembly of the ink jet recording apparatus.
The ink cassette 25 is provided with serrated portions 25C and 25D for facilitating mounting and dismounting thereof relative to the adaptor 26 in addition to the recess 29 for the engagement with the adaptor 26. The serrated portions 25C and 25D are provided at the respective side, of the ink cassette 25.
The serrated portions 25C and 25D, in this embodiment, also function to confine the engaging relation with the adaptor 26. They are engaged with engaging portions 26D
which is in the form of a cut-away portion at a side of the adaptor 26.
The serrated portion :?5D may have recesses and projections which are the same as those of the rails 33 to constitute a part of the rails 33 used during the mounting or dismounting.
The serrated portion 25D may project from the side surface of the adaptor 26 when the ink cassette 25 is mounted in the adaptor 26.. If this is done the serrated portion 25D is abutted to a guide 41 of the main assembly of the recording apparatus, so that it functions as an insertion position limiting member of the entire ink cartridge 4.
When this structure is used, it may be made peculiar to the ink cassette the positional relation between the hollow needle 20 and the ink bag can be assured. Therefore, in the case of color recording, the insertion length of the hollow needle 20 into the ink bag and the length relation between the guide 41 and the serrated portion 25D, can be made peculiar to the individual color ink, by which the erroneous insertion can be prevented, or the hollow needle is prevented, upon erroneous insertion, from reaching the ink bag.
Figure 6 shows the control system of the ink jet recording apparatus in connection with the ink cartridge 4. A central processing unit (CPU) 50, and memory in the form of ROM or RA1M 51 are provided. When the main switch of the recording apparatus is actuated with the connection therebetween established, the data in the information medium 32 are read through an interface 52 into the memory 51 in accordance with the ~035~9~
steps which will be described hereinafter. The recording apparatus comprises a controller 53, input and output controller 54, a head driver 55, a peripheral programmable interface (PPIj for a host computer, a data bus 57 and an a~ddrass bus 58.
Referring to Figure 7, the description will be made as to the control steps unto l the start of the recording operation when the ink cartridge 4 is mounted.
Upon the actuation of the main switch, the discrimination is made as to whether or not the ink cartridge is mounted, at step S1. If not, a warning is produced at step S2. If it is mounted, the operation proceeds to step S3 wherein the data is read from the ROM of the memory 51. The discrimination is made as to whether or not there is data, at step S4. If not, step S5 is executed by which a warning lamp is actuated. If so, the operation proceeds to step S6 wherein the driving parameters stored in the information medium 32 are transferred to the RAM of the memory 51. Then, on the basis of the data transferred, the recording head is preliminary heated in accordance with the conditions set in accordance with the driving parameters, at step S7. The discrimination is made at step S8 whether or not the recording operation is possible. If so, the sequential operation for the recording operation is effected at step S9.
2035pgp Figure 8 shows a structure of an ink cartridge 34 according to another embodiment of the present invention. It comprises an ink cassette 35, an adaptor 36 and an ink cassette 35 which has only an ink absorbing material 28 and an inl~; bag 27. They are accommodated in the order named.. When the ink absorbing material 28 and the ink cassette 35 are accommodated in the receptor 36A, they can be accepted only when the recess 29 of the i.nk cassette 35 is matched with the engaging projecaion 36 of the receptor 36A. When a top cover 37 of the: adaptor is closed, an ink cartridge 34 in the form of a unit is established.
The top cover 37 is cut into a configuration matching the configuration of the capping member 31 of the bag 27. If the configurations do not match, the top cover 37 can not be closed. If this is done, the erroneous insertion of the ink cassette 35 can be further prevented.
In this embodiment, the information medium 32 of the adaptor 36 bears controlling information corresponding to the material of the ink in the ink cassette 35, similarly to the foregoing embodiment.
According to this embodiment, the ink cassette 35 and the residual ink absorbing material 28 can be separately exchanged, and therefore, either of them can be exchanged when it becomes out of use. In any embodiments, the information medium 32 is provided.
The adaptor which is relatively more expensive than the ink cassette can be continued tc> be used even if the ink cassette is exchanged for replenishing the ink.
Therefore, the running cost of t:he recording apparatus can be reduced.
In addition, the information medium is not exchanged even if the ink is used up, and therefore the connection with the main assembly is maintained correct.
The residual ink absorbing material 28 is sealed to prevent the leakage of the ink to the outside of the adaptor 36 constituting the ink cartridge 34.
The outer periphery of the ink absorbing material 28 may be covered with a film or sheet material to provide the sealing. If this is done, the operator's hand will not be contaminated upon exchange of the absorbing material 28. Alternatively or in addition, the adaptor may be provided with a partition member for isolating the ink cassette 35 and the residual ink absorbing material 28. By doing so, the sealing can be assured, and the ink cassette 35 may be prevented from being contaminated with the residual ink.
The present invention is particularly suitably usable in a bubble jet recording head and recording apparatus developed by Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan. This is because, the high density of the picture element, and the high resolution of the recording are possible.
The typical structure aind the operational principle of preferably the one disclosed in U.S.
Patent Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796. The principle is applicable to a so-called on-demand type recording system and a continuous type recording system particularly however, it is suitable for the on-demand type because the principle is such that at least one driving signal is applied to an electrothermal transducer disposed on a liquid (ink) retaining sheet or liquid passage, the driving signal being enough to provide such a quick temperature rise beyond a departure from nucleation boiling point, by which the thermal energy is provide by the electrothermal transducer to produce film boiling on the heating portion of the recording head, whereby a bubble can be formed in the liquid (ink) corresponding to each of the driving signals. By the development and collapse of the the bubble, the liquid (ink) is ejected through an ejection outlet to produce at least one droplet.
The driving signal is preferably in the form of a pulse, because the development and collapse of the bubble can be effected instantaneously, and therefore, the liquid (ink) is ejected with quick response. The driving signal in the form of the' pulse is preferably such as disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262. In addition, the temperature increasing rate of the heating surface is preferably such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,3.13,124.
The structure of the recording head may be as shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600 wherein the heating portion is disposed at a bent portion in addition to the structure of the combination of the ejection outlet, liquid passage and the electrothermal transducer as disclosed in the above-mentioned patents. In addition, the present invention is applicable to the structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No.
123670/1984 wherein a common slit is used as the ejection outlet for plural elect:rothermal transducers, and to the structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 138461/1984 wherein an opening for absorbing pressure wave of the thermal energy is formed corresponding to the eject=ing portion. This is because, the present invention is effective to perform the recording operation with certainty and at high efficiency irrespective of the type of the recording head.
The present invention is effectively applicable to a so-called full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording width. Such a recording head may comprise a single recording head and a plural recording head combined to cover the entire width.
In addition, the present invention is applicable to a serial type recording head wherein the recording head is fixed on the main assembly, to a replaceable chip type recording head which is connected electrically with the main apparatus and can be supplied with the ink by being mounted in the main assembly, or to a cartridge type: recording head having an integral ink container.
The provision of the recovery means and the auxiliary means for the preliminary operation are preferable, because they can further stabilize the effect of the present invention. As for such means, there are capping means for the recording head, cleaning means therefor, pressing or sucking means, preliminary heating means by the ejection electrothermal transducer or by .a combination of the ejection electrothermal transducer and additional heating element and means for preliminary ejection not for the recording operation, which can stabilize the recording operation.
As regards the kinds of the recording head mountable, it may be a single corresponding to a single color ink, or may be plural corresponding to the plurality of ink materials having different recording color or density. The present invention is effectively applicable to an apparatus having at least one of a monochromatic mode mainly with black and a multi-color with different color ink materials and a full-color mode by the mixture of the colors which may be an integrally formed recording unit or a combination of plural recording :heads.
Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, the ink has been liquid. It may be, however, an ink material solidified at the room temperature or below and liquefied at the room temperature. Since in the ink jet recording system, the inlc is controlled within the temperature not less than 30 °C and not more than 70 °C to stabilize the viscosity of the ink to provide the stabilized ejection, in usua:L recording apparatus of this type, the ink is such that it is liquid within the temperature range when the recording signal is applied. In addition, the temperature rise due to the thermal energy is positively prevented by consuming it for the state change of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink material is solidified when it is left is used to prevent the evaporation of the ink. In either of the cases, the application of the recording signal producing thermal energy, the ink may be liquefied, and the liquefied ink may be ejected. The ink may start to bE~ solidified at the time when it reaches the recording material. The present invention is applicable t:o such an ink material as is liquefied by the application of the thermal energy. Such an ink mata_rial may be retained as a liquid or solid material on through holes or recesses formed in a porous sheet as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 56847/1979 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.
71260/1985. The sheet is faced i.o the electrothermal transducers. The most effective one for the ink materials described above is the film boiling system.
The ink jet recording apparatus may be used as an output terminal of an information processing apparatus such as computer or then like, a copying apparatus combined with an image reader or the like, or a facsimile machine having information sending and receiving functions.
As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, the ink jea recording apparatus can be provided which can effect assuredly its recording operation in accordance: with the nature of the ink used. After the ink is used up, the information transmitting medium c:an be reused since only the ink cassette is exchanged. Therefore, the running cost is reduced, and the information transmitting medium is maintained at a correct position.
If the ink cartridge has two portions including the ink cassette containing the ink used for the recording and an adaptor provided with medium bearing the information relatingr to the ink, the adaptor is capable of detachably accepting the ink cassette. When the ink is used up, only the ink cassette is attended to, so that the running cost is reduced, and the contact between. the information medium and the main assembly of the recording apparatus can be assuredly maintained with high precision.
While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims.
Claims (32)
1. An ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, said ink cartridge containing ink to be supplied to a recording head, comprising:
an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, said receptor having a portion for preventing erroneous mounting.
2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said ink cassette has an integral ink collecting material for accommodating residual ink ejected to maintain and recover ink ejection from said recording head, said absorbing material being mounted to said adapter together with said ink cassette.
3. A cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said adapter has a partition member between said ink cassette and a portion for accommodating said ink absorbing material.
4. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of said cassette is provided with a grip projection for facilitating mounting and dismounting thereof relative to said ink cartridge.
5. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the information medium bears information relating to material of the ink accommodated in the ink cartridge.
6. An ink cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said adapter has a guiding portion at each side for guiding said ink cartridge when said cartridge is mounted to said ink jet apparatus.
7. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising:
an ink supply system for supplying ink to a recording head from an ink cartridge accommodating the ink to be supplied to the recording head;
a mounting portion for detachably mounting said ink cartridge;
wherein said ink cartridge comprises an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, a connection pin for being connected with the information medium provided in the ink cartridge to obtain information relating to the ink.
an ink supply system for supplying ink to a recording head from an ink cartridge accommodating the ink to be supplied to the recording head;
a mounting portion for detachably mounting said ink cartridge;
wherein said ink cartridge comprises an ink cassette containing an ink bladder for containing the ink and ink collecting material for collecting residual ink; and an adapter having a receptor for detachably receiving said ink cassette and an information medium which becomes accessible to said ink jet recording apparatus when said ink cartridge is mounted therein, a connection pin for being connected with the information medium provided in the ink cartridge to obtain information relating to the ink.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising drive control means for driving the recording head in accordance with information read.
9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said ink cartridge receptor is provided with a guiding member contactable with a projection formed on a side wall of a cassette including the ink container and an ink absorbing material, the projection being effective to facilitate mounting and dismounting of the cassette relative to the ink cartridge and also effective to limit an insertion position relative to said ink jet recording apparatus.
10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording head is provided with an electrothermal transducer for producing thermal energy to produce a bubble to eject the ink.
11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said ink cassette has an integral ink collecting material for accommodating residual ink ejected to maintain and recover ink ejection from said recording head, said absorbing material being mounted to said adapter together with said ink cassette.
12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said adapter has a partition member between said ink cassette and a portion for accommodating said ink absorbing material.
13. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said ink cartridge is electrically connected with said connection pin to permit information transmission.
14. An ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
a non-reusable first part including a container for containing ink; and a reusable second part separable from said first part, wherein said second part has a member engageable with said ink jet recording apparatus, and said engageable member includes identification means capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
a non-reusable first part including a container for containing ink; and a reusable second part separable from said first part, wherein said second part has a member engageable with said ink jet recording apparatus, and said engageable member includes identification means capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
15. An ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said first and second parts combine with each other to provide an outer casing of said cartridge.
16. An ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein said second part accommodates therein said first part and includes a cover.
17. An ink cartridge according to claim 16, wherein said first part has an ink supply outlet member sandwiched by said cover and said second part.
18. An ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein said identification means includes a resistor.
19. An ink cartridge according to claim 15, wherein said identification means includes a non-volatile memory.
20. An ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said first part includes a cut-away portion and said second part includes an engaging portion cooperating with said cut-away portion.
21. An ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said first part includes a residual ink collecting material for receiving ink discharged from said recording apparatus through a recovery operation.
22. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein said first part is provided with an inlet opening for receiving the residual ink.
23. An ink cartridge according to claim 21, wherein said first part is integrally formed with a portion for receiving the residual ink.
24. An ink cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said second part includes a rib projecting therefrom.
25. An adapter for an ink cartridge detachably mountable to an ink jet recording apparatus, the adapter comprising:
a receptor portion for receiving and supporting an ink container for containing ink; and an engaging portion for engagement with said ink jet recording apparatus, said engaging portion including identification means including a resister capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
a receptor portion for receiving and supporting an ink container for containing ink; and an engaging portion for engagement with said ink jet recording apparatus, said engaging portion including identification means including a resister capable of being read by said ink jet recording apparatus.
26. An adapter according to claim 25, wherein said ink container and a portion for receiving residual ink are integral with each other.
27. An adapter according to claim 25, wherein said container constitutes a part of an outer casing of said adapter.
28. An adapter according to claim 25, wherein said adapter includes a cover, and an ink outlet member of said container is sandwiched by said cover and said adapter.
29. An adapter according to claim 25, wherein said adapter includes a rib outwardly projected from a housing constituting said adapter.
30. A cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said non-reusable first part partly constitutes a side wall of said reusable second part.
31. A cartridge according to claim 14, wherein said non-reusable first part is provided with a serrated portion for facilitating mounting to and demounting from the reusable second part, and said reusable second part is provided with a cut-away-portion at a position corresponding to said serrated portion.
32. An adapter according to claim 25, wherein the ink container is provided with a serrated portion for facilitating mounting and demounting of the ink container to and from the receptor portion, and said adapter is provided with a cut-away-portion at a position corresponding to said serrated portion.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP022175/1990 | 1990-02-02 | ||
| JP02217590A JP3222454B2 (en) | 1990-02-02 | 1990-02-02 | Ink tank cartridge |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2035090A1 CA2035090A1 (en) | 1991-08-03 |
| CA2035090C true CA2035090C (en) | 2000-03-14 |
Family
ID=12075463
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002035090A Expired - Lifetime CA2035090C (en) | 1990-02-02 | 1991-01-28 | Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5138344A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0440261B1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP3222454B2 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1021313C (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE105781T1 (en) |
| AU (2) | AU649429B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2035090C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69101979T2 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2241201B (en) |
Families Citing this family (240)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5461405A (en) * | 1989-10-30 | 1995-10-24 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink jet printer device with exchangeable printheads |
| JP3582592B2 (en) * | 2001-04-03 | 2004-10-27 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Ink cartridge and inkjet recording device |
| JP2877578B2 (en) * | 1990-09-22 | 1999-03-31 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording apparatus and ink cartridge mountable on the recording apparatus |
| JPH04133746A (en) * | 1990-09-27 | 1992-05-07 | Canon Inc | Ink cartridge and ink jet recorder provided with the ink cartridge |
| CA2052243C (en) * | 1990-09-27 | 1999-06-01 | Junji Shimoda | Ink jet recording apparatus and ink cartridge usable therewith |
| CA2059198C (en) | 1991-01-11 | 1997-12-16 | Kazuyoshi Takahashi | Ink jet recording apparatus |
| DE69226662T2 (en) * | 1991-05-27 | 1998-12-24 | Seiko Epson Corp., Tokio/Tokyo | Ink cartridge for an ink jet recording device |
| US6264314B1 (en) | 1991-05-27 | 2001-07-24 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink cartridge for ink jet recording apparatus |
| US5430471A (en) * | 1991-08-30 | 1995-07-04 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid container, recording head using same and recording apparatus using same |
| US6003985A (en) * | 1991-12-11 | 1999-12-21 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet recording apparatus |
| DE69229509T2 (en) * | 1991-12-11 | 1999-11-25 | Canon K.K., Tokio/Tokyo | Inkjet cartridge and titan holder |
| JP3021149B2 (en) * | 1991-12-19 | 2000-03-15 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording means |
| JP3165722B2 (en) * | 1992-01-20 | 2001-05-14 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet device |
| CA2090959A1 (en) * | 1992-03-06 | 1993-09-07 | Fumiharu Nakamura | Containers for containing expendables and packaging material for and method for collecting the same |
| US5406320A (en) * | 1992-03-10 | 1995-04-11 | Scitex Digital Printing, Inc. | Ink replenishment assemblies for ink jet printers |
| US5307091A (en) * | 1992-03-16 | 1994-04-26 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Jet ink refill supply |
| US5455617A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 1995-10-03 | Eastman Kodak Company | Thermal printer supply having non-volatile memory |
| US5266968A (en) * | 1992-03-27 | 1993-11-30 | Eastman Kodak Company | Non-volatile memory thermal printer cartridge |
| IT1256844B (en) * | 1992-06-08 | 1995-12-21 | Olivetti & Co Spa | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE RECOGNITION OF THE END-INK IN AN INK-JET PRINT HEAD. |
| US6170939B1 (en) | 1992-07-31 | 2001-01-09 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid storing container for recording apparatus |
| CA2272160C (en) * | 1992-07-31 | 2003-10-14 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid storing container for recording apparatus |
| JP3253153B2 (en) * | 1992-10-20 | 2002-02-04 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet head cartridge and ink jet apparatus provided with the cartridge |
| US5610644A (en) * | 1992-12-22 | 1997-03-11 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Thermal ink-jet pen with a plastic/metal attachment for the cover |
| TW297332U (en) | 1993-01-19 | 1997-02-01 | Canon Kk | Ink jet cartridge, ink jet apparatus and ink container |
| JP3171753B2 (en) * | 1993-04-26 | 2001-06-04 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording device |
| US5519422A (en) * | 1993-05-03 | 1996-05-21 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and device for preventing unintended use of print cartridges |
| JP3262410B2 (en) * | 1993-06-21 | 2002-03-04 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording device |
| JPH0752423A (en) * | 1993-08-11 | 1995-02-28 | Sony Corp | Dye evaporating printer head |
| US5619239A (en) * | 1993-11-29 | 1997-04-08 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Replaceable ink tank |
| US6015210A (en) * | 1993-11-29 | 2000-01-18 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink container with two ink absorbing members for controlling ink flow to a recording head |
| CA2156809C (en) * | 1994-08-24 | 2003-11-11 | Hiroyuki Inoue | Ink container for ink jet printer, holder for the container carriage for the holder and ink jet printer |
| US6350022B1 (en) | 1994-09-02 | 2002-02-26 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet recording apparatus |
| US5627572A (en) * | 1994-10-24 | 1997-05-06 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Programmable head type detection and maintenance system |
| JPH08174860A (en) * | 1994-10-26 | 1996-07-09 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge for ink jet printer |
| US5699091A (en) * | 1994-12-22 | 1997-12-16 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Replaceable part with integral memory for usage, calibration and other data |
| US6142617A (en) * | 1995-04-27 | 2000-11-07 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink container configured for use with compact supply station |
| US5812156A (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 1998-09-22 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Apparatus controlled by data from consumable parts with incorporated memory devices |
| US5956057A (en) * | 1996-08-30 | 1999-09-21 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink container having electronic and mechanical features enabling plug compatibility between multiple supply sizes |
| CA2164536A1 (en) * | 1995-01-03 | 1996-07-04 | William G. Hawkins | Ink supply identification system |
| AU126252S (en) | 1995-02-06 | 1996-03-25 | Canon Kk | Ink cartridge holder for a printer |
| USD382013S (en) | 1995-02-06 | 1997-08-05 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink cartridge holder for printer |
| JP3308751B2 (en) * | 1995-02-21 | 2002-07-29 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink tank and manufacturing method thereof |
| US6130695A (en) * | 1995-04-27 | 2000-10-10 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink delivery system adapter |
| US5686947A (en) * | 1995-05-03 | 1997-11-11 | Encad, Inc. | Ink jet printer incorporating high volume ink reservoirs |
| WO1996034758A1 (en) * | 1995-05-04 | 1996-11-07 | Calcomp Inc. | Ink source encryption device for an ink delivery system |
| JPH0939265A (en) * | 1995-07-29 | 1997-02-10 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge for printer and identifying device therefor |
| KR100191040B1 (en) * | 1995-09-14 | 1999-06-15 | 미따라이 하지메 | A scanner head cartridge and an information processing device thereof |
| JP3303003B2 (en) * | 1995-09-21 | 2002-07-15 | 富士写真フイルム株式会社 | Ink jet recording device |
| JPH1071725A (en) * | 1995-10-09 | 1998-03-17 | Canon Inc | Ink tank and inkjet cartridge |
| KR0146539B1 (en) * | 1995-10-17 | 1998-08-17 | 김광호 | Detecting circuit and method of mounting ink cartridge |
| DE69635869T2 (en) * | 1995-12-25 | 2006-10-26 | Seiko Epson Corp. | INK RADIATOR APPARATUS FOR INK CARTRIDGE |
| JP3750138B2 (en) | 1996-02-21 | 2006-03-01 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Ink cartridge |
| USD387087S (en) | 1996-03-29 | 1997-12-02 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink tank for printer |
| USD387379S (en) | 1996-03-29 | 1997-12-09 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink tank for printer |
| JP3413052B2 (en) * | 1996-04-23 | 2003-06-03 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording apparatus and control method |
| JP3576694B2 (en) * | 1996-04-23 | 2004-10-13 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording method, apparatus thereof, image processing method, and printing method for executing image processing method |
| JPH09286125A (en) | 1996-04-23 | 1997-11-04 | Canon Inc | Method for ink jet recording and apparatus therefor |
| JPH1067127A (en) * | 1996-04-23 | 1998-03-10 | Canon Inc | Ink jet recording device and image processing method |
| US6260938B1 (en) | 1996-04-23 | 2001-07-17 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink-jet printing method and apparatus for printing with inks of different densities |
| US5959647A (en) * | 1996-04-29 | 1999-09-28 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Technique for converting single cartridge monochrome printer to multi-cartridge color inkjet printer |
| US6113208A (en) * | 1996-05-22 | 2000-09-05 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Replaceable cartridge for a printer including resident memory with stored message triggering data |
| JPH10235890A (en) | 1996-06-25 | 1998-09-08 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge |
| US6074042A (en) * | 1997-06-04 | 2000-06-13 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink container having a guide feature for insuring reliable fluid, air and electrical connections to a printing system |
| KR100212992B1 (en) * | 1996-09-21 | 1999-08-02 | 윤종용 | Ink cartridge status detecting method of inkjet printer |
| US5860363A (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 1999-01-19 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink jet cartridge with separately replaceable ink reservoir |
| US6227638B1 (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 2001-05-08 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Electrical refurbishment for ink delivery system |
| US7188918B2 (en) * | 1997-01-21 | 2007-03-13 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Ink delivery system adapter |
| US6126265A (en) | 1997-01-21 | 2000-10-03 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink jet printer service station controlled by data from consumable parts with incorporated memory devices |
| US6322205B1 (en) | 1997-01-21 | 2001-11-27 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink delivery system adapter |
| US6375301B1 (en) | 1997-01-21 | 2002-04-23 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Replaceable cartridge, kit and method for flushing ink from an inkjet printer |
| US6786420B1 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2004-09-07 | Silverbrook Research Pty. Ltd. | Data distribution mechanism in the form of ink dots on cards |
| JP4141523B2 (en) | 1997-03-19 | 2008-08-27 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Ink supply flow path valve device |
| KR100229508B1 (en) * | 1997-04-22 | 1999-11-15 | 윤종용 | Windows driver making data by sensing an ink cartridge |
| US6161913A (en) * | 1997-05-15 | 2000-12-19 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for prediction of inkjet printhead lifetime |
| EP0878307B1 (en) * | 1997-05-16 | 2002-03-13 | Hewlett-Packard Company, A Delaware Corporation | Mechanical and electrical keying arrangement for replaceable ink cartridge |
| EP0994779B1 (en) | 1997-06-04 | 2003-04-02 | Hewlett-Packard Company, A Delaware Corporation | Ink delivery system adapter |
| US5992975A (en) * | 1997-06-04 | 1999-11-30 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Electrical interconnect for an ink container |
| US6010210A (en) * | 1997-06-04 | 2000-01-04 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink container having a multiple function chassis |
| US6618117B2 (en) | 1997-07-12 | 2003-09-09 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Image sensing apparatus including a microcontroller |
| US6690419B1 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2004-02-10 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Utilising eye detection methods for image processing in a digital image camera |
| US7110024B1 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2006-09-19 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Digital camera system having motion deblurring means |
| US6624848B1 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2003-09-23 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Cascading image modification using multiple digital cameras incorporating image processing |
| US6879341B1 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2005-04-12 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Digital camera system containing a VLIW vector processor |
| US7551201B2 (en) | 1997-07-15 | 2009-06-23 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Image capture and processing device for a print on demand digital camera system |
| USD410948S (en) * | 1997-08-27 | 1999-06-15 | Tektronix, Inc. | Cassette tray |
| IL121640A (en) * | 1997-08-27 | 2000-06-01 | Scitex Corp Ltd | Ink cartridge |
| US6702282B2 (en) | 1997-10-24 | 2004-03-09 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Card transport mechanism roller support |
| US6685312B2 (en) | 1997-10-24 | 2004-02-03 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Ink jet card printer |
| JPH11194664A (en) * | 1997-12-29 | 1999-07-21 | Canon Inc | Device and method for forming image device and method for processing image and image forming device |
| US6271928B1 (en) | 1998-03-04 | 2001-08-07 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Electrical storage device for a replaceable printing component |
| US6089687A (en) * | 1998-03-09 | 2000-07-18 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for specifying ink volume in an ink container |
| US6318918B1 (en) * | 1998-03-10 | 2001-11-20 | Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. | Recording sheet package for use with printer, and recording sheet supplying method |
| US6082854A (en) * | 1998-03-16 | 2000-07-04 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Modular ink-jet hard copy apparatus and methodology |
| US6493937B1 (en) * | 1998-03-16 | 2002-12-17 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method of manufacture for ink-jet hard copy apparatus using a modular approach to ink-jet technology |
| DE19812480A1 (en) * | 1998-03-21 | 1999-09-23 | E B S Gmbh | Ink-jet printer for labeling goods |
| USD425554S (en) | 1998-04-09 | 2000-05-23 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Ink container |
| US6267463B1 (en) * | 1998-05-11 | 2001-07-31 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for transferring data between a printer and a replaceable printing component |
| US6264301B1 (en) | 1998-05-11 | 2001-07-24 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for identifying parameters in a replaceable printing component |
| EP1466741B1 (en) * | 1998-05-13 | 2007-08-22 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink cartridge for ink-jet printing apparatus |
| DK1254776T3 (en) * | 1998-05-18 | 2004-05-03 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink-jet printer apparatus and ink cartridge |
| CN100400289C (en) * | 1998-05-25 | 2008-07-09 | 精工爱普生株式会社 | Ink box, ink-jet printing device, and ink refilling device |
| US6039430A (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2000-03-21 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for storing and retrieving information on a replaceable printing component |
| US6019449A (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 2000-02-01 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Apparatus controlled by data from consumable parts with incorporated memory devices |
| US6155664A (en) * | 1998-06-19 | 2000-12-05 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Off-carrier inkjet print supply with memory |
| EP2108513B1 (en) * | 1998-07-15 | 2011-05-04 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink supply unit |
| US6488352B1 (en) | 1998-09-03 | 2002-12-03 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for checking compatibility of a replaceable printing component |
| AUPP702098A0 (en) | 1998-11-09 | 1998-12-03 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Image creation method and apparatus (ART73) |
| JP2000085116A (en) * | 1998-09-10 | 2000-03-28 | Brother Ind Ltd | Ink-jet recording device and its drive regulating method |
| US6224192B1 (en) * | 1998-10-06 | 2001-05-01 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Inkjet printing systems using a modular print cartridge assembly |
| US6065826A (en) * | 1998-10-06 | 2000-05-23 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Modular print cartridge receptacle for use in inkjet printing systems |
| MY138350A (en) | 1998-11-02 | 2009-05-29 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge and printer using the same |
| AU2003268576B2 (en) * | 1998-11-02 | 2006-10-19 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink Cartridge and Printer Using the Same |
| AUPP701798A0 (en) | 1998-11-09 | 1998-12-03 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Image creation method and apparatus (ART75) |
| JP4314702B2 (en) * | 1998-11-26 | 2009-08-19 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Printing apparatus, writing method, and printer |
| JP4395943B2 (en) | 1998-11-26 | 2010-01-13 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Printing apparatus and information management method thereof |
| JP2000218818A (en) | 1998-11-26 | 2000-08-08 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink container and printer using the same |
| JP2000301738A (en) | 1998-11-26 | 2000-10-31 | Seiko Epson Corp | Method for judging suitability of ink container and printing apparatus judging suitability of ink container |
| JP2001187457A (en) | 1998-11-26 | 2001-07-10 | Seiko Epson Corp | Printing device and cartridge |
| US6932527B2 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2005-08-23 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Card cartridge |
| US6832866B2 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2004-12-21 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Printer or laminator supply |
| US7344325B2 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2008-03-18 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Identification card printer having ribbon cartridge with cleaner roller |
| US7018117B2 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2006-03-28 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Identification card printer ribbon cartridge |
| EP1145164B1 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2009-06-17 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Method and apparatus for communicating between printer or laminator and supplies |
| US6694884B2 (en) | 1999-01-25 | 2004-02-24 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Method and apparatus for communicating between printer and card supply |
| US7154519B2 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2006-12-26 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Printer and ribbon cartridge |
| US6493018B1 (en) | 1999-04-08 | 2002-12-10 | Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. | Wide format thermal printer |
| DE19917229A1 (en) * | 1999-04-16 | 2000-10-26 | Elmos Semiconductor Ag | Exchangeable inkjet cartridge has its own memory chip containing data relating to it, e.g. date of manufacture, and a transponder for wireless communication with the host printer to enable more reliable printer operation |
| US6789194B1 (en) | 1999-05-25 | 2004-09-07 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Network publishing authorization protocol |
| US7384134B2 (en) * | 1999-05-25 | 2008-06-10 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Ink cartridge with collapsible ink containers for an inkjet printer |
| AUPQ056099A0 (en) | 1999-05-25 | 1999-06-17 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | A method and apparatus (pprint01) |
| EP1658976B1 (en) * | 1999-10-04 | 2007-03-21 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink jet recording apparatus, semiconductor device, and recording head apparatus |
| US6155678A (en) * | 1999-10-06 | 2000-12-05 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Replaceable ink cartridge for ink jet pen |
| CN1294022C (en) | 1999-10-12 | 2007-01-10 | 精工爱普生株式会社 | Ink for ink-jet printer |
| US6367907B1 (en) | 1999-10-29 | 2002-04-09 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for flushing ink tubes |
| US6296345B1 (en) * | 2000-01-05 | 2001-10-02 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for horizontally loading and unloading an ink-jet print cartridge from a carriage |
| US6161920A (en) * | 2000-01-05 | 2000-12-19 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Techniques for adapting a small form factor ink-jet cartridge for use in a carriage sized for a large form factor cartridge |
| US6499826B1 (en) * | 2000-01-05 | 2002-12-31 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Horizontally loadable carriage for an ink-jet printer |
| US6290346B1 (en) | 2000-01-05 | 2001-09-18 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Multiple bit matrix configuration for key-latched printheads |
| CN1799846B (en) * | 2000-01-21 | 2010-06-09 | 精工爱普生株式会社 | Ink cartridge for use with recording apparatus and ink jet recording apparatus |
| ES2382127T3 (en) * | 2000-01-21 | 2012-06-05 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink cartridge for use with recording device and inkjet recording device |
| DE20122653U1 (en) | 2000-01-21 | 2007-02-22 | Seiko Epson Corp. | Ink cartridge and ink jet recording device using the same |
| US6758616B2 (en) | 2000-01-21 | 2004-07-06 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Identification card printer |
| US6827432B2 (en) * | 2000-01-31 | 2004-12-07 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Replaceable ink container for an inkjet printing system |
| JP3492283B2 (en) * | 2000-03-31 | 2004-02-03 | キヤノン株式会社 | Liquid container and recording device |
| JP3461169B2 (en) * | 2000-04-11 | 2003-10-27 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Liquid injection device |
| US7014286B2 (en) | 2000-04-11 | 2006-03-21 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Liquid jetting apparatus |
| KR100413676B1 (en) * | 2000-07-20 | 2003-12-31 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Developer container of printer |
| DE10036345B4 (en) | 2000-07-26 | 2005-07-07 | Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Kg | Arrangement and method for data tracking for warm-up cycles of inkjet printheads |
| US6345891B1 (en) * | 2000-07-31 | 2002-02-12 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Method and apparatus for specifying ink volume in a multichamber ink container |
| CA2354837C (en) | 2000-08-11 | 2005-01-04 | Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Simulator for automatic vehicle transmission controllers |
| ES2276199T3 (en) * | 2000-10-20 | 2007-06-16 | Seiko Epson Corporation | AN INJECTION RECORD DEVICE FOR INK AND INK CARTRIDGE. |
| PT1199178E (en) * | 2000-10-20 | 2008-07-22 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge for ink jet recording device |
| PT1199179E (en) * | 2000-10-20 | 2007-02-28 | Seiko Epson Kabushiki Kaisha S | Ink-jet recording device and ink cartridge |
| US20020126301A1 (en) * | 2000-12-21 | 2002-09-12 | Harry Bowers | Self calibrating ink jet cartridges |
| US7018014B2 (en) * | 2000-12-28 | 2006-03-28 | Xerox Corporation | Printing brand sensing bypass using an emulator |
| US6817699B2 (en) * | 2001-01-23 | 2004-11-16 | Sony Corporation | Printer |
| US6488368B2 (en) | 2001-01-26 | 2002-12-03 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Manifold for providing fluid connections between carriage-mounted ink containers and printheads |
| US6467888B2 (en) | 2001-02-21 | 2002-10-22 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Intelligent fluid delivery system for a fluid jet printing system |
| DE10114540A1 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-10-02 | Francotyp Postalia Ag | Consumption module for an electronic device |
| CA2379725C (en) * | 2001-04-03 | 2007-06-12 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Ink cartridge |
| US6588872B2 (en) | 2001-04-06 | 2003-07-08 | Lexmark International, Inc. | Electronic skew adjustment in an ink jet printer |
| US6554402B2 (en) | 2001-08-16 | 2003-04-29 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge with color discrimination structure |
| US6416166B1 (en) | 2001-08-16 | 2002-07-09 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge with alignment features and method of inserting cartridge into a printer receptacle |
| DE10139192A1 (en) | 2001-08-16 | 2003-03-06 | Hydac Technology Gmbh | piston accumulators |
| JP3459823B2 (en) * | 2001-10-22 | 2003-10-27 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet recording device |
| US6963351B2 (en) * | 2001-12-21 | 2005-11-08 | Datacard Corporation | Radio frequency identification tags on consumable items used in printers and related equipment |
| US6985167B2 (en) * | 2002-03-01 | 2006-01-10 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Card cleaner roller assembly |
| MXPA03002490A (en) * | 2002-03-20 | 2004-10-15 | Seiko Epson Corp | Ink cartridge and ink cartridge holder. |
| US20030197056A1 (en) * | 2002-04-19 | 2003-10-23 | Dunham Matthew K. | Identification card printer data encoder module |
| US20030197770A1 (en) | 2002-04-19 | 2003-10-23 | Klinefelter Gary M. | Card cartridge and card feed adapter for an ink jet sheet feeder printer |
| JP4631253B2 (en) | 2002-06-17 | 2011-02-16 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Ink jet recording apparatus and ink cartridge |
| US7438401B2 (en) | 2002-06-17 | 2008-10-21 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Inkjet recording apparatus and ink cartridge |
| US6702435B2 (en) | 2002-07-18 | 2004-03-09 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge having ink identifier oriented to provide ink identification |
| US6712459B2 (en) | 2002-07-18 | 2004-03-30 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge having shielded pocket for memory chip |
| US6715864B2 (en) | 2002-07-18 | 2004-04-06 | Eastman Kodak Company | Disposable ink supply bag having connector-fitting |
| US6705713B2 (en) | 2002-07-18 | 2004-03-16 | Eastman Kodak Company | Disposable ink assemblage |
| US20040012660A1 (en) * | 2002-07-18 | 2004-01-22 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge having connectable-disconnectable housing and ink supply bag |
| US7296864B2 (en) * | 2002-08-01 | 2007-11-20 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Control method for printing apparatus |
| JP2004066467A (en) * | 2002-08-01 | 2004-03-04 | Canon Inc | Recorder, its controlling method, recording head, element basic body for recording head, liquid ejecting device, liquid ejecting head and element basic body for liquid ejecting head |
| US6709093B2 (en) | 2002-08-08 | 2004-03-23 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge in which ink supply bag held fast to housing |
| US6755501B2 (en) | 2002-08-08 | 2004-06-29 | Eastman Kodak Company | Alternative ink/cleaner cartridge |
| US6830323B2 (en) | 2002-08-13 | 2004-12-14 | Eastman Kodak Company | Restricting flash spread when welding housing halves of cartridge together |
| US6705714B1 (en) | 2002-08-21 | 2004-03-16 | Eastman Kodak Company | Ink cartridge having ink supply bag filled to less than capacity and folded in cartridge housing |
| US6837576B2 (en) | 2002-08-21 | 2005-01-04 | Eastman Kodak Company | Method of filling ink supply bag for ink cartridge |
| US7377605B2 (en) * | 2002-08-22 | 2008-05-27 | Mvm Technologies, Inc. | Universal inkjet printer device and methods |
| US6945524B2 (en) | 2002-09-05 | 2005-09-20 | Fargo Electronics, Inc. | Card singularization gate |
| JP3991853B2 (en) * | 2002-09-12 | 2007-10-17 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | ink cartridge |
| JP3624950B2 (en) | 2002-11-26 | 2005-03-02 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | ink cartridge |
| ATE313434T1 (en) * | 2002-11-26 | 2006-01-15 | Seiko Epson Corp | INK CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE |
| JP4536358B2 (en) | 2002-12-04 | 2010-09-01 | 株式会社リコー | Image forming apparatus |
| DE602004029869D1 (en) * | 2003-03-18 | 2010-12-16 | Ricoh Co Ltd | INK BAG AND INK CARTRIDGE WITH INK BAG |
| JP2004338383A (en) * | 2003-04-25 | 2004-12-02 | Canon Inc | Ink cartridge, printing device equipped with ink cartridge, and manufacturing process of ink tank |
| JP2005053212A (en) | 2003-07-18 | 2005-03-03 | Seiko Epson Corp | Liquid container |
| US7452062B2 (en) | 2003-07-18 | 2008-11-18 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Liquid container with structure for controlling leaked liquid |
| US7758172B2 (en) | 2003-07-18 | 2010-07-20 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Injection apparatus and a valve device provided in a passage |
| AR049674A1 (en) | 2003-08-08 | 2006-08-30 | Seiko Epson Corp | LIQUID CONTAINER CONTAINER TO SUPPLY A LIQUID SUCH CONSUMPTION APPLIANCE |
| US7878505B2 (en) * | 2003-08-19 | 2011-02-01 | Hid Global Corporation | Credential substrate rotator and processing module |
| JP4058436B2 (en) | 2003-12-26 | 2008-03-12 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink storage container |
| US7232208B2 (en) * | 2004-01-21 | 2007-06-19 | Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd | Inkjet printer cartridge refill dispenser with plunge action |
| US7206010B2 (en) * | 2004-04-16 | 2007-04-17 | Zih Corp. | Systems and methods for providing a media located on a spool and/or a cartridge where the media includes a wireless communication device attached thereto |
| US20060012634A1 (en) * | 2004-07-15 | 2006-01-19 | Squie Roger W | Print cartridge adapter |
| JP4715169B2 (en) | 2004-11-18 | 2011-07-06 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Protective member for ink cartridge |
| US20060146100A1 (en) * | 2005-01-04 | 2006-07-06 | Dull Daniel J | Ink jet supply component including a secure memory serial device |
| KR100667312B1 (en) * | 2005-03-08 | 2007-01-12 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Apparatus for changing of design parameter and image forming appratus having the same |
| JP2007044936A (en) * | 2005-08-09 | 2007-02-22 | Oomu Denki:Kk | Ink cartridge and ink tank stand for ink cartridge |
| DE102006036716B3 (en) | 2006-06-02 | 2007-09-27 | Artech Gmbh Design + Production In Plastic | Printer e.g. inkjet printer, retrofitting device, has cartridge retaining device to retain replaceable original ink cartridges, and locking pin to lock fastener in fastening position when insert-ink cartridge is attached in retaining device |
| JP4321562B2 (en) * | 2006-08-08 | 2009-08-26 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Liquid container |
| DE202006020636U1 (en) | 2006-09-27 | 2009-06-25 | Ninestar Image Co. Ltd., Zhuhai | Apparatus for holding an ink cartridge in a holder of a recording apparatus |
| US7419234B2 (en) * | 2006-10-27 | 2008-09-02 | Static Control Components, Inc. | Method and apparatus for spoofing imaging devices |
| MY147941A (en) | 2006-11-06 | 2013-02-15 | Seiko Epson Corp | Liquid container, container holder and liquid consuming apparatus |
| JP4946751B2 (en) | 2006-11-06 | 2012-06-06 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Container holder, liquid consumption apparatus, and liquid container |
| US8128186B2 (en) * | 2007-07-27 | 2012-03-06 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Non-volatile memory data integrity validation |
| US7735985B2 (en) | 2007-09-27 | 2010-06-15 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Cartridge holder |
| US20090167794A1 (en) * | 2007-12-14 | 2009-07-02 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Liquid ejection apparatus, liquid storage and control method of a liquid ejection apparatus |
| EP2280828B1 (en) * | 2008-05-20 | 2012-10-10 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Ink container supports |
| JP2010012602A (en) * | 2008-06-30 | 2010-01-21 | Brother Ind Ltd | Package and ink cartridge |
| CN102161278B (en) * | 2008-06-30 | 2014-03-05 | 兄弟工业株式会社 | Adaptor for ink cartridge |
| CN101885270B (en) * | 2009-05-13 | 2012-09-05 | 珠海纳思达企业管理有限公司 | Adaptor on ink-jet printer and ink box matched with same |
| CN201511595U (en) * | 2009-05-13 | 2010-06-23 | 肖彪 | Adapter used on ink-jet printer and ink box matched with adopter for use |
| AU2014202105B2 (en) * | 2009-05-15 | 2016-02-25 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Recording material supply system, circuit board, structure, and ink cartridge for recording material consumption device |
| US8540347B2 (en) * | 2009-05-15 | 2013-09-24 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Recording material delivery system for recording material-consuming apparatus; circuit board; structural body; and ink cartridge |
| US8646770B2 (en) | 2009-09-18 | 2014-02-11 | Hid Global Corporation | Card substrate rotator with lift mechanism |
| JP2012000850A (en) | 2010-06-17 | 2012-01-05 | Brother Industries Ltd | Ink supply device and image recording apparatus |
| US8764172B2 (en) * | 2010-09-03 | 2014-07-01 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Printing apparatus, printing material cartridge, adaptor for printing material container, and circuit board |
| CN102673165B (en) * | 2011-03-08 | 2015-09-09 | 精工爱普生株式会社 | Waste liquid packaging container and liquid consuming device |
| US8801161B2 (en) | 2011-07-27 | 2014-08-12 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid cartridge, image recording device, and substrate |
| EP2551115B1 (en) * | 2011-07-27 | 2014-09-10 | Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid cartridge and image recording device |
| JP6171313B2 (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2017-08-02 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Liquid ejector |
| JP5962144B2 (en) * | 2012-03-30 | 2016-08-03 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Printing fluid storage device and printing fluid supply device |
| JP6019697B2 (en) | 2012-04-19 | 2016-11-02 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Printing fluid storage device and printing fluid supply device |
| US9132634B2 (en) | 2012-11-29 | 2015-09-15 | Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated | Bypass flow path for ink jet bubbles |
| CN104163043B (en) * | 2013-05-17 | 2016-08-24 | 珠海纳思达企业管理有限公司 | Ink box chip, print cartridge and structure |
| US9434161B2 (en) | 2015-01-07 | 2016-09-06 | Oce-Technologies B.V. | Print head unit |
| JP2016141087A (en) * | 2015-02-04 | 2016-08-08 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Liquid storage body |
| JP2016168729A (en) * | 2015-03-12 | 2016-09-23 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Tank unit and liquid jet system |
| CN105314425B (en) * | 2015-11-13 | 2017-03-29 | 李星 | Spray drawing machine paper feeding platform |
| EP3248801B1 (en) * | 2016-05-26 | 2019-07-10 | OCE Holding B.V. | Inkjet printing apparatus |
| JP6961918B2 (en) * | 2016-09-30 | 2021-11-05 | ブラザー工業株式会社 | Printing fluid containment device, printing fluid supply device, and adapter |
| JP7119683B2 (en) * | 2018-07-17 | 2022-08-17 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | liquid injector |
| US11731798B2 (en) | 2021-06-22 | 2023-08-22 | Funai Electric Co., Ltd. | Hybrid fluid cartridge |
Family Cites Families (28)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4162501A (en) * | 1977-08-08 | 1979-07-24 | Silonics, Inc. | Ink supply system for an ink jet printer |
| CA1127227A (en) * | 1977-10-03 | 1982-07-06 | Ichiro Endo | Liquid jet recording process and apparatus therefor |
| JPS5936879B2 (en) * | 1977-10-14 | 1984-09-06 | キヤノン株式会社 | Thermal transfer recording medium |
| US4330787A (en) * | 1978-10-31 | 1982-05-18 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording device |
| US4345262A (en) * | 1979-02-19 | 1982-08-17 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink jet recording method |
| US4463359A (en) * | 1979-04-02 | 1984-07-31 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Droplet generating method and apparatus thereof |
| US4313124A (en) * | 1979-05-18 | 1982-01-26 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording process and liquid jet recording head |
| JPS5656877A (en) * | 1979-10-17 | 1981-05-19 | Canon Inc | Ink jet recording apparatus |
| US4558333A (en) * | 1981-07-09 | 1985-12-10 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Liquid jet recording head |
| JPS58166464U (en) * | 1982-04-30 | 1983-11-05 | シャープ株式会社 | Ink supply device in ink jetting device |
| US4408914A (en) * | 1982-09-29 | 1983-10-11 | Teletype Corporation | Printer ribbon cartridge mounting assembly |
| DE3238063A1 (en) * | 1982-10-14 | 1984-04-19 | Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven | Interchangeable container with an ink reservoir chamber for an ink printing unit |
| JPS59123670A (en) * | 1982-12-28 | 1984-07-17 | Canon Inc | Ink jet head |
| JPS59138461A (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1984-08-08 | Canon Inc | Liquid jet recording apparatus |
| JPS59215870A (en) * | 1983-05-25 | 1984-12-05 | Canon Inc | Ink cartridge |
| JPS6071260A (en) * | 1983-09-28 | 1985-04-23 | Erumu:Kk | Recorder |
| DE3342894A1 (en) * | 1983-11-26 | 1985-06-05 | Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven | CASSETTE FOR A WRITING HEAD OF AN INK WRITING DEVICE IN A TYPEWRITER |
| DE3405164A1 (en) * | 1984-02-14 | 1985-08-22 | Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven | Ink supply container for ink jet printers |
| JPS60192637A (en) * | 1984-03-14 | 1985-10-01 | Canon Inc | Ink jet recording device |
| JPS60219060A (en) * | 1984-04-17 | 1985-11-01 | Canon Inc | Liquid injection recorder |
| JPS615949A (en) * | 1984-06-21 | 1986-01-11 | Canon Inc | Inkjet recorder |
| JP2594912B2 (en) * | 1986-02-12 | 1997-03-26 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink cartridge and recording device |
| JPS634954A (en) * | 1986-06-25 | 1988-01-09 | Canon Inc | Ink supply apparatus |
| JPS6322653A (en) * | 1986-07-16 | 1988-01-30 | Canon Inc | Ink feeder |
| JPH082649B2 (en) * | 1986-12-12 | 1996-01-17 | キヤノン株式会社 | Ink jet printer |
| JP2832710B2 (en) * | 1987-01-07 | 1998-12-09 | 沖電気工業 株式会社 | Printer |
| JPH0784063B2 (en) * | 1987-04-22 | 1995-09-13 | 松下電器産業株式会社 | Thermal transfer printer |
| EP0729836B1 (en) * | 1989-08-05 | 2002-11-13 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Ink cartridge |
-
1990
- 1990-02-02 JP JP02217590A patent/JP3222454B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1991
- 1991-01-28 GB GB9101811A patent/GB2241201B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-01-28 CA CA002035090A patent/CA2035090C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-01-28 US US07/646,286 patent/US5138344A/en not_active Ceased
- 1991-01-31 AU AU70151/91A patent/AU649429B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1991-02-01 DE DE69101979T patent/DE69101979T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-02-01 AT AT91101385T patent/ATE105781T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1991-02-01 EP EP91101385A patent/EP0440261B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-02-02 CN CN91101239.7A patent/CN1021313C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1994
- 1994-08-26 AU AU71498/94A patent/AU679764B2/en not_active Ceased
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU7015191A (en) | 1991-08-08 |
| CN1021313C (en) | 1993-06-23 |
| AU649429B2 (en) | 1994-05-26 |
| JP3222454B2 (en) | 2001-10-29 |
| DE69101979D1 (en) | 1994-06-23 |
| GB2241201A (en) | 1991-08-28 |
| AU679764B2 (en) | 1997-07-10 |
| CA2035090A1 (en) | 1991-08-03 |
| AU7149894A (en) | 1994-10-27 |
| JPH03227650A (en) | 1991-10-08 |
| US5138344A (en) | 1992-08-11 |
| GB2241201B (en) | 1994-12-14 |
| DE69101979T2 (en) | 1994-09-22 |
| EP0440261B1 (en) | 1994-05-18 |
| CN1054741A (en) | 1991-09-25 |
| ATE105781T1 (en) | 1994-06-15 |
| EP0440261A2 (en) | 1991-08-07 |
| GB9101811D0 (en) | 1991-03-13 |
| EP0440261A3 (en) | 1991-10-09 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA2035090C (en) | Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor | |
| USRE36279E (en) | Ink jet apparatus and ink jet cartridge therefor | |
| EP0442438B1 (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus | |
| US5506611A (en) | Replaceable ink cartridge having surface wiring resistance pattern | |
| US5512925A (en) | Ink jet head cartridge and ink tank therefor | |
| EP0562717A1 (en) | Valve mechanism for a liquid container in a liquid recording apparatus | |
| JPH03244548A (en) | Recording apparatus | |
| JP2001353882A (en) | Ink cartridge | |
| JPH07323645A (en) | Recording apparatus | |
| JP2941136B2 (en) | Information processing apparatus, information processing method, electronic device, and electronic device control method | |
| EP0442470B1 (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus | |
| JPH02165954A (en) | Ink jet recorder and recording head mounted in the same recorder | |
| KR100495294B1 (en) | Image print apparatus and control method thereof | |
| JP3167475B2 (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus and waste ink amount calculation method | |
| US6672703B2 (en) | Inkjet printing apparatus and printing system | |
| JP2000099214A (en) | Electronic apparatus, printer device and control method therefor | |
| JP2814302B2 (en) | Ink jet recording device | |
| KR960008963Y1 (en) | Inkjet cartridge | |
| JPH08238781A (en) | Recording device, electronic appliance using it, and exchange control method in the device | |
| JPH05162324A (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus | |
| JPH11265272A (en) | Information processor and method therefor, and electronic equipment and method for controlling the same | |
| JPH05270008A (en) | Ink jet color record method and device, and restoration method for use therein | |
| JPH04135861A (en) | Ink jet recorder | |
| JPH0839899A (en) | Ink jet recording device | |
| JPH0781080A (en) | Ink jet recording apparatus |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed | ||
| MKEC | Expiry (correction) |
Effective date: 20121202 |